In 1989, John Tiedjen was found guilty of killing Brian McGary, a close friend who had lived with his family since he was 15, court records say. Straus was around 12 when her brother died and had known Tiedjen almost her whole life.

The Ohio man’s conviction was overturned in June, and he’s now on house arrest, awaiting a new trial. Straus said she wrote Tiedjen a letter forgiving him a few years ago, beginning what Tiedjen called “something magical.”

Straus visited Tiedjen at the prison. She was struck by his kindness, and he felt a flicker of something. Tiedjen encouraged her to look into the evidence from the case. She became convinced he wasn’t her brother’s killer.